Effects of retinoic acid on steroid and vitamin D3 receptors in cultured mouse osteosarcoma cells.

The effect of retinoic acid (RA) on the expression of osteoblast-related genes as well as on steroid/vitamin D3 receptor contents was examined using cultured osteosarcoma cell line (BFO cells). Northern blot analysis revealed that mRNAs encoding osteocalcin, pro-alpha 1 (I) collagen and bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP-4) are expressed in BFO cells. Stimulation with RA, however, failed to alter their mRNA content, although the transcripts for retinoic acid receptor (RAR)-alpha and -gamma were present in BFO cells. In addition, alkaline phosphatase activity (AP) was significantly but modestly increased by RA treatment. These results suggest BFO cells have well differentiated osteoblastic properties. In contrast to the effects of RA on osteoblast-related gene regulation, RA was found to increase the quantity of estrogen receptor as well as of 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 receptor (VDR) in BFO cells. The quantities, assessed by ligand binding assays, were approximately 200% more than those of the controls after 24 h stimulation with 10(-9)-10(-8) M RA. These RA effects on ER and VDR seem to be specific, since glucocorticoid receptor quantities were not affected by RA treatment. These results suggest that RA regulates ER and VDR quantities in BFO cells.